ai – भारतीय महासागर समाचार

China, France release joint declaration on AI governance

AI Photo: VCG

China and France released on Monday Paris time a joint declaration on artificial intelligence (AI) and global governance during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to France, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Experts said that the joint declaration will pave the way for practical cooperation, and serve as a model for enhancing AI exchanges and partnerships between China and other European countries.

Signing the declaration is also seen as a challenge to US dominance in the field of AI, highlighting the limitations of hegemonic ambitions in the fast-evolving AI landscape. The era of the US attempting to assert AI global dominance is deemed unsustainable, experts said.

The declaration noted that President Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron firmly believe in the importance of continued dialogue to provide lasting solutions to global challenges. One of the highlights of the declaration is that China and France are committed to taking effective measures to address risks associated with this technology.

Both countries are also on the same page about the basic rules for AI governance. They agreed to take into account the flexibility required for the rapid development of technology, while providing necessary protection for personal data, the rights of users and the rights of users whose work is used by AI. They also committed to promoting secure, reliable and trustworthy AI systems, adhering to the principle of “AI for good.”

Zeng Yi, a professor of AI at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and also an expert of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on AI, told the Global Times on Tuesday that this consensus reflects the alignment of both parties on issues including ethics, security and the governance of AI at a fundamental level, laying the foundation for pragmatic and in-depth cooperation between the two countries in the field of AI governance.

Cooperation between China and France can drive collaboration in the field of AI between China and Europe as a whole, Liu Wei, director of the human-machine interaction and cognitive engineering laboratory at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Liu Wei said both sides have great potential in working together on research into the development and application of AI technology, as well as laws and regulations.

Liu Baocheng, director of the Center for International Business Ethics of the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times that both sides have significant complementary relationships in this field. Also, China’s rapid development of new quality productive forces presents an opportunity for France to participate in China’s development.

The next step will involve greater participation by research institutions and businesses to ensure the true implementation of the declaration Liu Baocheng noted.

Through closer AI governance cooperation, both sides can systematically share more solutions to address risks, such as privacy breaches and the lack of an effective ethical AI security framework, thereby minimizing and avoiding common risks and challenges facing all of humanity, Zeng said.

Another keyword mentioned in the declaration is “cooperation.” It said that international cooperation in AI governance will rely on work conducted at the UN level, and China and France will help strengthen the network capabilities of all countries, especially developing countries, to address network threats related to AI development and bridge the digital divide among developing countries.

The joint declaration between China and France conveyed an image of responsible major powers to the world, presenting an overall approach to global AI governance, Liu Baocheng said.

Zeng said the declaration is in line with China’s Global AI Governance Initiative, and the signing of the declaration is also one of the representative efforts China has made at the specific implementation level as a responsible AI power, after having proposed the initiative.

Regarding the idea of China-France cooperation to counter the “AI hegemony” of the US, Liu Baocheng said that in the field of AI, the US has been seeking to dominate the global rules system. However, the reality is that each country has its own strengths, and the hegemonic mind-set of the US is unlikely to be realistically delivered. The attempt by the US to rule the world with AI is a thing that is not sustainable, he noted.

IOC launches Olympic AI Agenda

The International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach speaks during a press conference on the launch of the Olympic AI Agenda in London, Britain, on April 19, 2024. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the Olympic AI Agenda here on Friday, setting out the envisioned impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can deliver for sport and how the IOC intends to lead on the global implementation of AI within sport.(Photo: Xinhua)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the Olympic AI Agenda here on Friday, setting out the envisioned impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can deliver for sport and how the IOC intends to lead on the global implementation of AI within sport.

At the launching event held at Lee Valley VeloPark, one of the venues for the 2012 London Olympic Games, IOC president Thomas Bach introduced the Olympic AI Agenda as the first holistic approach by the leader of the Olympic Movement in this field.

“This Olympic AI Agenda lays out both opportunities and risks. It is a conceptual, and at the same time, a practical approach,” said Bach. “It defines our vision, it defines our ambition and it defines our guiding principles, embracing the full potential of AI.”

The IOC has defined a strategic goal to leverage AI effectively across five key focus areas, including supporting athletes, clean competition and safe sport, ensuring equal access to the benefits of AI, optimizing Olympic and Paralympic Games Operations with a focus on sustainability, growing engagement with people as well as driving efficiency across the management of the IOC and sport.

But Bach also insisted that the center of the Olympic AI Agenda is the athletes “because the athletes are the heart of the Olympic Movement”.

“AI can help to identify athletes and talents in every corner of the world. AI can provide more athletes with access to personalized training methods, superior sports equipment, and more individualized programs to stay fit and healthy,” said Bach.

“Beyond sporting performance, AI can revolutionize judging and refereeing, thereby strengthening fairness in sport. AI can improve safeguarding in sport. AI will make organizing sporting events extremely efficient, will transform sports broadcasting and will make the spectator experience much more individualized and immersive,” he continued.

During the event, experts from the fields of sport, technology, business and academia also discussed the practical application of AI tools to sport and their implementation.

China to build data labeling bases nationwide to promote AI devt: National Data Administration

The photo taken on October 12, 2023 shows the server room of the advanced data center in Western (Chongqing) Science City. Photo: VCG

China will establish a data labeling base to facilitate the nation’s artificial intelligence (AI) development, the National Data Administration (NDA) announced at the nationwide data work conference in Beijing as it outlined key tasks for this year.

According to the meeting, efforts will be made to explore the establishment of national-level data labeling bases, fully leverage local support and leading companies to promote the development of AI industry ecosystems, China Media Group reported.

Efforts also will be made to accelerate the building of a nationwide computing power network to address the growing demand of China’s computing networks estimated at an annual growth over 30 percent, officials said.

The NDA is focusing on integrating the development of general computing power, intelligent computing power, and supercomputing power and coordinating the computing power across different regions.

Among the key work, the NDA will also establish a data property rights system, promote efficient and compliant data circulation and trade, and ensure data security governance.

Deploying these measures is crucial for driving the development of the digital economy, optimizing resource allocation, and promoting industrial upgrading, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow from the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The building of a nationwide data labeling base can allocate professional labeling resources to label data at high quality and large scale, improving the data quality for training AI models. It could also explore new data labeling techniques and methods, driving the overall advancement of the AI industry, Wang said.

The move to accelerate a national integrated computing power network will further enhance computing power efficiency, reduce costs, and support the development of the digital economy, Wang added.

China inaugurated the National Data Administration last October to promote digital development and enhance management on data regulation amid efforts to boost digital economy and data security.

So far 31 provincial-level regions in the Chinese mainland have established their regional data institutions, the NDA said.

China will launch an AI Plus initiative to promote the innovative development of digital economy, according to the Government Work Report.

The country will step up research and development and application of big data and AI, launch an AI Plus initiative, and build digital industry clusters with international competitiveness, read the report.

Apple reportedly seeking partnership with Baidu on using its AI solution

A flagship store of Apple in Shanghai Photo: VCG

Apple has reportedly sought a partnership with Chinese search engine Baidu to provide generative AI solution in its devices sold in China. The US tech company is introducing AI to augment its operating system and other software.

Media reports have suggested that Apple will use Baidu’s Ernie Bot – a generative artificial intelligence product for its iPhone 16, Mac OS and iOS 18 in China.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Apple had held preliminary talks with Baidu about using the Chinese company’s generative AI technology in its devices in China, though, “Apple’s discussions with Baidu are still exploratory,” the report said citing people familiar with the matter.

For Baidu, this will be a huge driving force, especially as competition among major large language model (LLM) application manufacturers in China becomes increasingly fierce, analysts said.

Similar to other AI services, Baidu’s Ernie Bot is accessible via an app accessible from the App Store. According to Baidu, after its LLM application announced its opening to the entire society on August 31, 2023, it quickly climbed to the top of the Apple Store’s free app rankings, becoming the first native Chinese AI product to top the app store rankings in China.

According to CNBC, Apple will lay the groundwork for a new AI App Store at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

“The company will offer its own AI services, but now it is in discussions with other companies to offer their AI apps for sale, possibly as part of an AI App Store,” an American Apple analyst was quoted as saying by CNBC on Monday.

The progress came amid Apple chief executive Tim Cook’s recent visit to China, when talking about the critical role China plays for the US tech giant. “There’s no supply chain in the world that’s more critical to us than China,” Cook said.

Facing the pressure of AI competition, Apple’s decision to cooperate with Chinese companies to accelerate AI application is a wise decision, Chinese experts said.

The fact that Chinese LLMs are favored by foreign tech companies indicates that the US’ approach to contain China’s technological development will not only restrict US investment in high-tech industry in China, but also expedite China’s tech self-reliance efforts, reducing China’s dependence on external supplies, the experts said.

“The ongoing cooperation between Apple and Baidu reflects the deep integration of the global industry chain,” Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Also, major companies in the world are increasingly aware that going it alone is difficult to cope with the rapidly changing market, Wang said, adding that only partnership could bring more business opportunities and development space for them.

“Chinese companies like Baidu can also gain more opportunities through cooperation with Apple and others, achieving a win-win situation,” Wang said.

From Apple’s perspective, choosing a compliant and secure AI solution will help Apple better adapt to varied regulatory environment. At the same time, it also shows that Apple values the Chinese market and complies with its regulations, said Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Wang said that Apple still needs China – the world’s largest smartphone and consumer electronics market – to sustain its growth momentum.

The US government has tried to contain the rise of Chinese high-tech sector in order to maintain its technology dominance in the world, experts said.

China is now actively developing cutting-edge AI technology including large language models, Wang said. “These tech innovations are expected to help China break the sci-tech blockade imposed by the US.”

China’s Douyin bans AI generated content to spread misinformation, rumors

Douyin Photo: VCG

Chinese short video platform Douyin has banned the use of artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) to create and post content that goes against science, fabricates information, or spreads rumors, according to a notice on its WeChat account on Wednesday.

The issuance of the regulation is timely and necessary to promote the orderly development of the AI industry, experts said.

Douyin said that it has recently identified and taken action against accounts that are using AI to create virtual humans and post inappropriate content.

It urged creators, live-streamers, users, and merchants on the platform to follow a five-point regulation when using generative AI on the platform.

The creator of AI content must clearly label it so others can determine if it is real or not, and must take responsibility for any consequences resulting from the content.

Virtual humans must be registered on the platform, and users of the technology must undergo identity verification.

The platform also prohibits the use of AI to create and share content that infringes on the rights of others, including images and intellectual property. It prohibits AI-generated content that goes against science, spreads untruths, or creates rumors. If such content is found, the platform will impose strict penalties.

The issuance of the regulation comes as AI technology has sparked controversy across the world. There is growing concern that AI-generated literature is becoming a challenge to human-created works. Additionally, there is debate over whether AI-facilitated digital figures of the deceased would be acceptable for families.

“This regulation is necessary, as it aligns with policy guidance and meets the needs of platform development. With quick development of AIGC, it is essential to have regulations in place to label the content and make clear the accountability,” Liu Dingding, a technology industry observer told the Global Times on Wednesday.

China has placed increased emphasis on AI technology in the pursuit of new quality productive forces and economic growth, and has stepped up AI governance to ensure that it is used for the benefit of the people.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and six other ministries issued temporary rules for managing generative AI services in July, in a bid to promote the sound development of the sector, safeguard national security and the public interest, while also protecting the legitimate rights and interests of individuals.

The temporary rule, which has been in force since August 15, emphasizes that the use of generative AI should follow China’s laws.

Any act of generating or transmitting illegal content will be terminated on the spot, and illegal content will be erased. Generative AI technology providers should offer specific data processing training in line with the law.

The CAC said the rapid development of generative AI technology has brought new opportunities for economic and social development, while also giving rise to problems misinformation, infringement of personal rights, bias and discrimination, noting that how to co-ordinate the development and safety of generative AI has aroused public concern. The CAC emphasized that the rule was made to underpin the healthy development of generative AI technology. The rule encourages the innovative development of generative AI technology.

IDC: China’s GenAI sector investment surges, projected to reach $13 billion by 2027

AI Photo: VCG

Driven by rapid technological advancement, China is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 86.2 percent for generative artificial intelligence (AI) investment between 2022 and 2027, according to a newly released report from Research firm IDC, showcasing the robust prospects of the country’s high-tech sector.

Thanks to the government’s rising efforts to accelerate high-quality development, China’s generative AI spending is set to reach 33 percent of the world’s AI investment by 2027, up from 4.6 percent in 2022 with the generative AI investments probably reaching $13 billion, according to the report.

China’s performance is outstanding amid overall global growth in the industry, which is projected to reach $512.42 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 31.1 percent, IDC forecasted in its Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Spending Guide.

The report also underscored China’s leading position in AI investment within the Asia-Pacific region, surpassing half of the total investment in the region. As of 2027, China`s AI investment is set to exceed $40 billion, representing a CAGR of 25.6 percent.

Generative AI is poised to become a pivotal technology in enterprise automation. Banking, retail, software, and information services are cited as the top three spenders driving its innovation and growth, collectively constituting nearly a third of the market, according to the report.

Since 2014, China’s AI development has been accelerating, driven by the surging application demand within the domestic market. According to an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), China’s AI industry output value reached 580 billion yuan ($80.23 billion) in 2023, up 18 percent year-on-year. The number of major AI-related enterprises has exceeded 4,400, ranking second in the world.

China’s AI development has been rising rapidly amid the government’s ramped-up efforts to develop new quality productive forces. The country has announced a slew of plans to enhance industrial innovation, and accelerate AI-driven manufacturing, led by large language models, to speed up the establishment of a modern industrial system, an official from MIIT said recently.

Global Times